Spiders invade Montana home as cold sets in

MISSOULA, MT (KTRK) -- A Montana homeowner got a creepy crawly surprise when he discovered hobo spiders invading through the cracks and crevices of his home.

Just one day after setting up a spider trap, the homeowner captured several photos of the arachnids nearly overflowing the cardboard contraptions.

The sight, experts said, illustrates a growing problem for residents of the northwestern United States as cooler weather forces the hobo spider to migrate indoors, reports ABC-affiliate KTMF-TV.

With no natural predators, hobo spiders are able to rapidly reproduce, wreaking havoc on homes, said Josh McCloud, owner of HoldFast EnviroPest Solutions.

The bite of hobo spiders is not venomous, but it can introduce bacteria that causes skin to die.

McCloud said he suspects the weather might play a significant role in the increased hobo spider population, which he says gets worse each year.

"We had a 60-degree day in February, and we had some really warm winter, and I think that kind of contributed, that gives them a larger growing season," McCloud said. "They tend to hunker down during the winter, you don't really see a lot of activity."